Smoking stand and accessories therefor



A ril 23, 1935. F. MCDONALD 1,999,140

SMOKING STAND AND ACCESSORIES THEREFOR Filed Nov. 23, 1931 4 Sheets-Shec l April 23, 1935.

Filed Nov. 23, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. F. McDONALD SMOKING STAND AN]; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR ,April 23,- 1935.

Filed Nov. 23, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 23, 1935.

E. F. MCDONALD SMOKING STAND AND ACCESSORIES THEREFOR Filed Nov. 23, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Edward fim flonald,

Patented A r. 23, 1935 PATENT "OFFICE SMOKING STAND AND ACCESSORIES THEREFOR Edward McDonald, Buffalo, N. Y., 'assignor to Faries Manufacturing Company, Decatur, 111.

Application November 23, 1931, Serial No. 576,923

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an article of furniture having particular utility for tobacco smokers.

It comprehends, generally, a portable stand of suitable height having at its top an electric ig- 5-nitor, cigar rests, and an ash receptacle, all

grouped together so as to be within easy reach of a person or persons desiring to smoke. A removable annular tray is provided to-engage the stand, extending about the smoking utilities, to support drinks, candies, tobacco, or other refreshments, which it may be desired to serve. The tray, being removable from the stand, may be used for f the same purposes as an ordinary portable tray.

These and other objects andadvantages, including those residing in the arrangement, formation, and novel manner of supporting the smok-' l article depicted in Fig. l, the tray being omitted:

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the cover part appearing in Fig. 3;

, Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5'5 of Fig. 3, illustrating the upper portion of the smokers stand, 'a central fragmentary portion of the tray being shown; I I

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3 through the ignitorelement;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan. view of the funnel and associated means for supporting the ash or waste receptacle within the stand; i

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 3, depicting the manner of mounting a cigar holder upon the cover plate of Figs. 3'and 4;

0 Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the removable tray portion of the article depictedin Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the lower section of the tubular standard, showing the electrical means mounted therein for supplying current to the ignitor;

Figpll is an inverted perspective view of the mounting bracket for theelectrical means shown in Fig. 10; I

Figs. 12 and 13 are central vertical sectional views taken at right angles to each other, illustrating another form of ignitor;

Fig. 14 is a wiring diagram of a device having the ignitorof Figs. 12 and 13; and

Fig. 15 is a modified wiring diagram of a dea depending peripheral flange 42, a peripheral As shown in Fig. l, a slender upright standard 20, having enlarged base and head members 2| and 22 connected by a tubular member, has at its top a tray 24, and a group of smoking accessories orutilities including a torch 25, normally supported in a fuel container 26, an electric ignitor 2'5, cigar or cigarette rests28,,and an ash'or' wastereceptacle having thereabove a lifting handle Z9 and a depressible rod 3! ,foractuating a plate which is normally closed to prevent smoke or'fumes arising from the receptacle. 7

A removable plate 32 closes the bottom of the tubuler base member 2 l, the walls of which are engaged by an upwardly extended peripheral flange 33 of the plate. p The head and base members are reduced to telescope within the connecting tube .23, as indicated at 34, and have inclined or semi-bayonet slots 35 for receiving bolts 36 extending through the tube 23. Beads 31, each having an inturned flange 38engaged between the ends of the tube 23 and the shoulders 39 ad-' jacent the reduced extremities 34 of the head and baseQserve to conceal the bolt heads; As will be noted, the flange 33 of the base closure plate and the beads 31 are of rounded conformation in order to add to the symmetry of the standard and to provide space for the heads of the bolts 36.

A cover plate M for the head member 22 has bead 43 being formed on the flange for thepurposes of resiliently engaging pressed-out protuberances, 44, to removably retain the cover upon the head, and seating the tray 24. The tray may have an: outer upstanding flange 45 for retaining articles thereupon and an inner flange 46 for frictionally engagingthe flange 42 of the cover plate. The upper edge of flange 46 is preferably flush with the upper surface of the cover plate. The latter has an opening 41 with a depressed wall 48 for seating an annular flange 49 of a'funnel 5|, which is thereby suspended within the standard 20. 1

Struck out fingers 52 are provided on the funnel for engaging the wall 48 of the cover plate, the latter having notches 53 with which the fingers 52 may be aligned, uponrotation of the funnel by turning the handle 29 afiixed thereto, to allow the funnel to be removed from or re-' placed within the standard. As shown in Fig. 50

t 4 a stop 54 on the wall 48 limitsthe rotational flange 58 for receiving an ash or waste receptacle Y 56,-which has a threaded upper end releasably 5 engaged by detents 51 on the flange 58. A closure plate 59, hinged. to the funnel at St, normally seals the container 56 from the outside atmosphere, being held against the bottom of the funnel by a laterally extending portion 62 of rod 3!. The latter extends through openings in the plate 55, funnel 5i and handle 28, being constantly urged upwardly by a spring 63 connecting it to the plate 55.

A link 5d pivoted to both the rod 3| and the closure plate causes the plate to open, to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, upon depression of rod 3 i, so that ashes or other waste in the funnel may drop into the container 55. A bar 535 is provided at the upper mouth of the funnel for the purpose of enabling a smoker to knock ashes from a cigar, cigarette, or pipe. The cigar and ci arette rests 28, one or more of which may be provided, may be affixed to the cover plate 5! by screws 65, as depicted in Fig. 8.

The portable torch 25, comprises a handle 68 and a torch portion 69 consisting, preferably, of rings of asbestos or like substance mounted upon a stem ii, being retained thereon by a shoulder and other retaining means 13 at the lower end of the stem. The upper end of the stem is preferably threaded into the handle and is reduced to provide a shoulder M for retaining a convex sealing ring '55. A shield 13 is clamped between the sealing ring and handle. Normally the torch is supported in a fuel container, which includes a jar 7'? having a threaded cover l8 and a sealing gasket '15). The fuel container extends through an opening 8! in the cover plate H of the standard, resilient fingers 82"., depending from the cover, engaging the sides of the jar 17, to retain it in place.

A supporting plate 83, which may have an ornamental surfacing 86 of bakelite, or similar composition, overlies the cover plate 4!, being clamped to the cover '18 of the fuel jar by a torch supporting tube 85, the latter having a shoulder engaging the upper surface of the supporting plate. Abutting the lower surface of the jar cover 18 is a Wick supporting tube 86 which is threaded to the torch supporting tube. The wick tube 86 is restricted at its lower end to retain felt, or other suitable wick material, 87, openings 83 in the tube permitting fuel in the jar to infiltrate the wick. As shown in Fig. 5, the torch portion 69 is normally disposed in and contacts the walls of a pocket Within the wick. The upper end of the torch tube is convex so as to contact on a continuous line with the sealing ring T5 of the torch, to provide a gas tight seal between the torch and fuel container regardless of the angular position that the stem H may assume in engaging in the pocket within the wick An air vent is provided through the members 18, 83 and 84 in order to prevent the pressure of vapor of the fuel from forcing the liquid fuel about the gasket 79 or raising it above the wick 8'1.

The ignitor 2'5 shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 is substantially like that shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 576,922 filed. of even date herewith. It comprises a base 85 of insulating material having a flange 92 extending through an opening in the cover plate 45 and overlying the cover plate. The latter has depending lugs 94 through which bolts 85, embedded in base 9i, extend. A guide plate 86, having a central guide aperture, is also supported by the bolts, and an electric contact finger 91 is supported by one of them, being electrically insulated from the bolt and guide plate by washers 98.

The base 9| has a funnel shaped well 39, the bottom of which is shouldered at lfil to confine a movable contact member I62, the stem I03 of which is slidable in the guide aperture of the plate 96. A spring m4, extending about the stern E63, normally urges the contact member against shoulder lEll. out of contact with finger 91. An electric lead wire 106, connected to finger 91', extends to one pole, 5618, of a battery 97 disposed within the base it. The opposite pole Iifl of the battery is connected by wire E62 to one terminal iii of the primary winding of an induction coil, including a circuit interrupter l t2, the other terminal H3 of primary winding of th induction coil being grounded to the standard and thus being in electrical circuit, through the standard, top cover 4! and guide plate 95, with the movable contact member 93. The secondary winding of the induction coil has one terminal grounded and the other, IE5, connected by wire H5 to a spark button H5 disposed on the diverging side walls at the top of the Well in the ignitor base.

The battery and induction coil are supported in the base 2| of the standard by the bracket, depicted in 11, which includes a strap I ll having ends H8 and H9 apertured for the reception of bolts l2! which secure the bracket to angle brackets E22 anchored to the base. A portion, E23, of strap HT, is formed to provide a saddle for receiving the battery I91 and for supportin a generally U-shaped strap 124, which carries binding posts adapted to contact the terminals of th battery and flanges I25 and I21, respectively, for engaging and giving lateral support to the battery and the induction coil. A third bracket section, 528, extends from the saddle portion I23 to the end I! 9 of strap Ill, to embrace the induction coil and to retain it in place. Member l28 supports an insulating bar i253 which carries a binding post I31 in contact with terminal 1 14 of the secondary winding, and a contact member 532 for contacting the joint primary and secondary terminal H3. A metal strip 133 serves to ground the latter terminal to the bracket.

In use, the tray may obviously be removed from or supported by the standard, as the user desires. When it is desired to light a cigar or cigarette, the torch with its torch portion 69 saturated with fuel, from the container 17 and wick, such as alcohol or other readily ignit-able hydro-carbon or hydro-carbon derivative, may be withdrawn from the supporting tube 85 and inserted in the well of the ignitor base, as shown in Fig. 6, to depress the movable member l 133 into contact with finger 9?. This will complete an electrical circuit through the battery and primary winding of the induction coil which may be traced as follows: terminal I58 of the battery, wire i 36, finger 8'5, contact member :02, guide plate 94, the standard, the battery bracket, strip 33, the primary winding of the induction coil (including the circuit breaker), and wire 138 to the other terminal of the battery.

A circuit having induced current of high voltage will simultaneously be created, the induced current arcing between the spark button H5 and the portion of stem ll of the torch covered by or adjacent the fuel saturated torch portion '38. The induced current circuit may be traced as follows: from the secondary winding of induction coil, terminal. H3, the battery bracket, the standard, guide plate 96, movable contact through the following circuit:

light a cigar, cigarette or for other purposes.

Upon replacement of the torch within the tube ,85, the flame will be extinguished and the supply of fuel on the torch portion 59 replenished.

Accumulated ashes may be placed in funnel by striking the cigar, cigarette or pipe against the rod 65, and any waste material in the funnel may be discharged into the container 56 by depressing the rod 3| to'open the closure 53. Immediately upon release of the rod" 3I, the closure will resumeits normal position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, thereby preventing smoke or fumes from arising from the container. latter may be emptied by turning handle 29 to bring the fingers 52 of the funnel into registry with notches 53 in the cover and then, by the handle 29, withdrawing the funnel and the attached container 56, the latter being removable from the funnel by turning it. When the waste receptacle is in normal position, the handle 29 may be used to lift and carry the entire smokers stand and tray.

The fuel container may be refilled by extracting it from the standard against the resistance of the resilient fingers 82 and by then unscrewing the jar T! from its cover 18. The battery is likewise readily removed for replacement, this being accomplished by removing the bottom closure 32 from the standard and lifting the battery from its supporting bracket.

The ignitor shown in Figs. 12- to inclusive, has an insulating base 2? extending through an opening in plate 4 I, the baseahaving a peripheral flange I4I engaging the upper surface of the plate. Connected to the plate is a strap I42 having openings for receiving bolts I43 which are embedded in the base for retaining the latter.

Y the well is a spark button I 41, connected to a lead wire I48. 7

As shown in Fig. 14, the wire I46 may connect to one pole of battery Iil'I the other pole of the battery being connected to one terminal of the primary winding of an induction coil, the other terminal of the primary windingbeing grounded,

an interrupter I I2 being included in the circuit. The lead wire 548 is connected to one terminal of the secondary winding of the induction coil, the other terminal thereof being grounded.

- When the torch is placed in the position shown in Fig. 12 with the contact point thereof bridging'the buttons I44 and I45, the primary circuit is closed, causing the interrupter to function. Secondary or induced current will therefore flow From the secondary winding of the induction coilywire I48, spark button I41, through the air to stem II, contact tip I3, to contact button I45, and ground to the secondary winding. The electric spark between thebutton I41 and stem 'II' will ignite fuel on the portion 69' of the torch.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 15, is adapted to operate on alternating current of the type The- 'normally'supplledto oflices and homes. alternating current transformer I49 replaces the induction coil of Fig. 14, and a plug I5I, adapted to be plugged in a suitable electric receptacle or socket replaces the batmry 181'. In all other respects the primary and secondary circuits are the same.

"It 'will be understood that the devices herein described and illustrated are merely exemplary of the principles of the'invention, which may be embodied in other devices having other structural characteristics and. arrangements, all within the purview of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus comprising a torch having an electrical conductor portion and a torch portion containing an ignitable substance adjacent to said conductor portion, contact members adapted for simultaneous contact with said conductor portion, a spark button adjacent said torch and conductor portions when said conductor portion is in contact with said contact members, a source of current including a primary and a secondarywinding, means connecting one terminal of said primary winding to one of said contact members, means connecting the other terminal of the primary winding to another of said contact members, means connecting one terminalof said secondary winding to one of said contact members, and means connecting the other terminal of the secondary winding to said spark button.

2. Apparatus comprising a portable torch having an electrical conductor portion and a torch portion adjacent said conductor portion, an ignitor member having a pair of fixed contact members adapted for simultaneous contact with the conductor portion, and a fixed spark button adjacent said torch and conductor portions when the latter contacts said contact members, a transformer having primary and secondary windings, an electrical circuit including a source of alternating current, said fixed contacts, said conductor portion and said primary winding, and means connecting the terminals of said secondary winding to one of said fixed contacts and to said spark button respectively.

3. Apparatus comprising a portable torch having an electrical conductor portion and a torch portion adjacent said conductor portion; an ignitor member having a pair of fixed contact members adaptedfor simultaneous contact with the conductor portion and a fixed spark button adjacent said torch and conductor portions when the latter contacts said contact members; a primary electrical circuit including a source of direct current, the primary winding of an induction coil having a circuit interrupter, said fixed contacts, and said conductor portion; said induction coil having a secondary winding with the terminals thereof connected respectively to one of said fixed contact members and to said spark button.

4. Ignitor apparatus comprising an insulating base having a well therein, a pair of spaced contact members mounted in said base adjacent the bottom of the well, a spark button mounted in i said member into'contact with said contact members.

5. Ignitor apparatus comprising an insulating base having a tapered well therein, a pair of contact members fixed in spaced relation at the bottom of said well, and a spark button carried by the base on a side wall of said well.

6. Ignitor apparatus for attachment to a supporting plate having an opening therein, comprising an insulating base extending through said opening, said base having a peripheral flange extending upon the upper surface of said plate, a strap secured to the under surface of said plate, a fastener embedded in said base and secured to said strap, said base having a Well therein, a pair of contact members at the base of said well and a spark button on a side wall of said well, electric conductors extending through said base and connected to the spark button and one of said contact members, and means electrically connecting the other of said contact members with said strap.

7. In a smoking stand, or the like, a tubular member and a removable closure plate therefor, a. bracket secured to said member adjacent said closure, said bracket having wall portions at right angles and parallel to said closure plate, a pair of contact members carried by one of said wall portions at right angles to the plate, and a battery received between said walls and said closure plate, said battery having terminals contacting said contact members, whereby upon removal of said closure plate, the battery may be removed.

EDWARD F. MCDONALD. 

